Gluten-Free Wheat-Free Blueberry Corn Muffins

Blueberries and corny goodness ...

August is fast approaching. I am trying not to think about it. I am baking blueberry corn muffins. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Or so I'm told. I am constructing my best defense to put off thinking about hauling our ocean-loving selves back to the dusty stoic hills of Ojo Caliente- 913 miles away from my sons, 915 miles from the sea.

Anyone out there want to buy a charming casita with mesa sunset views? Two kiva fireplaces. Saltillo tile floors. Vigas. All the rustic Southwest vibe you could ask for. Price reduced (thrice). To less than what we paid for it.

I don't pretend to understand the bigger picture, the honking beast of our lumbering economy. I'm no good at math- even when the economy is not melting down, humming along to its own sweet tune, nevermind comprehending the intricate ins and outs and ups and downs of depression economics and the breathtaking depths of Wall Street greed and extra sensitive interest rates that pout and pose and tease like strippers sending brokers into sweating Xanax popping frenzy. Not to mention, I cannot wrap my poetic visual brain around those epic taxpayer funded Wall Street buy-outs.

I'm an artist. I have always lived by the seat of my pants, without health insurance, without an IRA. I don't live by a plan. I live by intuition. Inspiration. I play with paint (not a skill valued by many people in our big screen spectacle loving culture). So I probably shouldn't have become a home owner. It was probably my fault. I should have known better. I've learned my lesson. I'm letting go. I'm saying no to mortgages. For now.

I'm trying to practice my best Zen-Lebowski detachment (the waves help). And yeah. We still have three weeks. Miracles happen.

As always?

I'm hoping for the best.

Fresh blueberries add a sweet tart kick to gluten-free corn muffins.

Karina's Gluten-Free Wheat-Free Blueberry Corn Muffins Recipe

Recipe posted July 2009.

These grainy wheat-free muffins are just the right amount of sweet. We split them and grill them in a dab of light olive oil until they turn golden and sizzling around the edges. The warmth brings out the taste of the blueberries.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flours, starch and dry ingredients.

Add in the oil, honey/agave, vanilla, lemon juice, eggs/egg replacer, and water. Beat well to form a smooth sticky batter. If the batter seems a tad dry or stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more warm water.

Stir in the blueberries by hand.

Using a spoon, plop the batter into twelve muffin cups and using wet fingers smooth the tops a bit. I like to add 2 or 3 extra blueberries to the muffin tops.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes- depending upon your oven and altitude.

Cool the pan on a wire rack for five minutes then remove the muffins from the pan and cool them directly on the rack (this keeps the bottoms from getting soggy).

Wrap extras in foil and freeze for easy on-the-go gluten-free treats (I've been known to sneak my gluten-free muffin into Starbucks- but don't tell.)

Makes one dozen muffins.

Karina's Notes on gluten-free vegan batter:

Gluten-free vegan batters are different than your standard wheat flour batters. They are stiffer at first, then they stretch and get sticky as the xanthan gum and egg replacer do their thing.

If the batter "climbs" the beaters, slow down the speed and slightly lift the beaters to encourage the batter to move back down into the bowl. Move your beater around the bowl in figure eights, at a slight angle.